Why IQ Tests Are Bunk

Why IQ Tests Are Bunk

After conducting the largest test of its kind, a group of scientists have concluded that IQ tests are not a fair standard for determining intelligence.

A team led by researchers from the University of Western Ontario found that a single number doesn't accurately represent a person’s intelligence. The group said three components must be studied to get a full picture of someone’s faculties: short-term memory, reasoning, and a verbal component. Using special imaging, the scientists were able to show that those three abilities run on different circuits in the brain.

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The findings, which were published in the science journal Neuron, were based on the 100,000 people who participated in the experiment. The researchers also noted that regular game-playing helped with short-term memory and reasoning, while smokers performed poorly on short-term memory and the verbal component.